Breeding & Racing Magazine

Tax Office Probes Vic Bookie Deals With Crime Figure

None of the Australian horse racing figures "found by a secret police inquiry 18 months ago to have had improper ties to an underworld boss (including leading bookmaker Frank Hudson & champion jockey Jim Cassidy) have faced any action from racing authorities", while "at the same time, Hudson faces a fresh investigation into his alleged failure to pay tax on hundreds of thousands of dollars he earned in his business dealings with the notorious gangland figure," reported this morning's The Age in Melbourne. And Victoria Police "has rejected a recommendation - made by the judge who last year headed an inquiry into the industry- to set up a dedicated squad of detectives to police the racing world". The newspaper revealed Hudson "recently faced demands from the Australian Tax Office to hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid capital gains tax & rental income connected to his property dealings with the underworld boss, who cannot be named for legal reasons". Another "prominent racing figure, who is a leading trainer, was recently given a fresh racing licence, despite taking more than $50,000 from the gangland figure several years ago in return for giving tips on whether his horses would win races".